Move over Oprah!  Oh, right she did move over… right off into the sunset. No ridiculously over the top show this year with all her “Favorite Things.”  So, here are a few of MY favorite things. This is the brief post I’ve promised for Wednesdays. A few things that I love and want to share.

The first thing I love, I can’t share. It’s my 50+ year old (Yes, you read that correctly.) Christmas cactus. My auntie Anna gave my grandmother a plant that Anna started from her own, when I was a little girl. At the time she told my Grandma that it was “quite old.” My grandmother’s grew to hang down from a 2nd floor loft in her home. My Mom’s perished in the Blizzard of ’78. I’ve carried mine from home > to college > graduate school > Chicago when we married > Michigan and here.   My plant as been there and done that; and you can quote me. Each year it blooms like crazy… at least once.

Garrett’s popcorn. There is simply no better popcorn in the world. It is from Chicago, but they ship  all over. It’s always a good day when the wait at the store is less than an hour, but they ship all over.  We love the caramel and cheese varieties: mixed.  I’m fairly sure they dust it with heroin. See if I’m right. (We’ve got quite a collection of Garrett’s canisters! ———–>)

Kiehl’s– All of it, but the Imperial Body Balm and Lip Balm #1 are To. Die. For. The company is 150 years old and they make damned fine products with botanical ingredients and no perfumes. Find them on line or at most Nordstroms. I can’t live without my lip balm.

(<–Townsend Bay Soap Company products. Ok, call it nepotism but these may be the most wonderful soaps anywhere. They’re all natural and fabulous on all skin types. TBSC uses the highest quality essential oils and will do personalized labels for baby showers, weddings or whatever makes you smile (Note the picture. Had to photo shop the Bar Mitzvah bar, as it didn’t say Little Man Bat Mitzvah Bar). I’m a huge fan of the liquid soaps too. I’ve been known to use the bars for both bathing and in drawers, to make my whole room smell wonderful. The products are sold on line and in Made in Washington stores at Seatac and elsewhere, as well as in many small local stores around Washington state. I always get a call to say “That soap is amazing! Thanks!” when I give it as a gift. Watch this uber cool video to see how it’s made. Besides all that, I happen to love the owners to pieces.

Mack’s Earplugs. I don’t know who you sleep next to, but I don’t go to bed without my ear plugs. I can’t sleep without them wherever I am. Period.  “No I didn’t hear that wind storm; or the gravel mover next to me.”  Apparently swimmers love them too.   (<– A couple of bucks makes for a better marriage.)

Mezzetta Nappa Valley Sauces. Absolute yumminess. Tastes like home-made and add some meat or seafood and you have the easiest dinner, in 15 minutes. The Artichoke Parmesan Marinara rocks my world. I have been known to eat it out of the jar. Seriously.

(These sauces are my favorite ready made, that I’ve ever found—>)

I hate to be without my Temper-Pedic Pillow, but the picture would be drool stained yucky.

Having tried many, and having been pushed to go Google Calendar finally (after much pressure from husband and college age kids), I still love my Monster Grid Calendar.  I liked the Boynton one for years, with the individual columns, but it just got harder and harder to read down and across and keep it all straight. This gives me one big ass square for each day. I keep it in the pantry to check as I make coffee… then I double check Google. I still forget things.

Hands down my favorite cocktail, winter or summer (spring and fall too), is my own Grapefruit Cocktail.  Squeeze 1/2-1 fresh, red or pink grapefruit into a glass. Add one shot Absolute Ruby Red Vodka (sorry, but you must be 21 or older to enter this link). Add ice. You do in fact have to add the ice first, to get the perfect pink foam. Then top with Schwepp’s Tonic Water.  This baby makes any day better. Any. Day.  (The deck and view don’t hurt either.)

My slippers are something that I absolutely MUST have. Hard to say which ones as I switch it up each year. I will say that not a single pair has made it one year, intact. I’ve had the Uggs with rubber soles, the LL Bean shearlings, and the Haflingers. I wear my slippers every day, whenever I’m home. The Haflingers are amazingly warm and comfy and I like the colorful styles. The shearlings are just delicious on my feet. I prefer no rubber sole, so it’s more like being bare footed, but I am hard on slippers and have yet to find one that really holds up.

Hot Tamales. One of my favorite food groups.  Back up? Frozen Reeses. Only frozen.